Why it is time for a rethink on private equity

PRIVATE EQUITY

Private equity is a common part of investors' portfolios in the US, but over here it is viewed as a niche investment.

On this side of the Atlantic, private equity is typically seen as a niche asset class within an alternatives allocation that might also include hedge funds, property, gold and infrastructure. Looked at another way – as many of North America’s most sophisticated institutions see things –gaining exposure to professionally-run private businesses with strong governance, alignment of interest and institutional oversight, that have been cherry-picked out of hundreds of thousands of contenders by a team of proven specialists, is not a niche opportunity. It is a major plank of their equities’ e...